This was a great last month in Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland). My entire squad of 23 worked with many carepoints that are run by Adventures in Missions; the World Race’s parent organization. Carepoints are places where kids ranging from preschool to high school can go to hang out at after school. They offer a free meal for all of the kids every day as well as biblical lessons and games hosted by the shepherd, the person running the carepoint. They also have preschools where little kids can go to during the day before the bigger kids show up after school. Most of, if not all of the 39 and counting carepoints are sponsored by churches, many of which are in the US.

We were broken up into smaller teams so that 3-4 people were at each carepoint. While there, they helped out with the preschools in the mornings either by teaching or doing logistical work. In the afternoons they would help lead games, do Bible lessons, and get to know the kids who were there after school. I was a part of the agricultural team. My days consisted of doing agricultural work in the mornings and then doing the Bible lessons and games with carepoint kids in the afternoons. My agricultural team of three was usually at a different carepoint every day so we weren’t able to build any meaningful relationships with any of the kids, but it was still great to be able to support the teams that were at those carepoints already.

Much of the agricultural work I did this month included clearing fields with machetes, planting seeds so that the carepoints can grow food, and harvesting crops. It was a great balance of being able to do physical labor and still be able to be with the kids in the afternoons. The organization here is doing incredible work and they run a tight ship. It was an honor to be here and I’m thankful I could spend the last month of the Race in Eswatini. I’ll be posting one last blog next week to share what I learned on the Race. I hope you all are doing well.

God bless,

Colton

Working on one of the fields at a carepoint